Behind the Poster: The Who London 1970

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The Who released their highly acclaimed rock opera Tommy in May of 1969 that was supported by a massive tour throughout North America and Europe that lasted over 19 months, including a famous stop at Woodstock. The Tommy Tour came to its conclusion 50 years ago, December 18, 1970, at The Roundhouse in London (fun fact: opening for the band that evening was a young musician named Elton John). It was a night of celebration for the band, who were in extra good spirits that evening.

The Who performed the majority of Tommy in their sets, and Pete Townshend famously announced at this show "This is the very last time we'll play Tommy on stage", to which Moon promptly cried, "Thank Christ for that! Thankfully, the band decided to keep playing Tommy, which is one of the most beloved rock albums ever.

First hand accounts of the performance recall the positive energy of the band:

Of all The Who gigs I've been to, this was one of a few that I have incredibly fond memories of. The Roundhouse was a fantastic venue to see bands. Very small by today's standards (about 1,000 - 1,500 I think), and my main memory is the atmosphere was so..well...happy I s'pose. It was just before Christmas, the stage was set up for some theatrical production which was probably a nightmare to get around, but it looked great (it was left in place for the gig). Townshend seemed in such a good mood. As far as I can remember the set was fairly standard for them, Tommy with a few others before and after (what a set that was!) and in the extended 'jamming' section there was a bit of Alright Now. - Tony Oliver, The Who Concert Guide

For this print, we wanted to set the scene of a wintery yet glowing city of London, the band's energy lighting the city through their music during the holiday season. Thanks to James R. Eads for creating an amazing piece of art - he always delivers simply masterful work.